Arkansas couple welcomes 17th child

[catgirl]

Source: Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - It's a girl — again — for the Duggars. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar welcomed their 17th child, and seventh daughter, into the world Thursday.

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Jennifer Danielle was born at 10:01 a.m. at Saint Mary's Hospital in Rogers, Ark., the Duggars said in an interview. Jennifer weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and arrived five days after Michelle's due date.

Less than 30 minutes after giving birth, the Duggars already were talking of having more.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070803/ap_on_fe_st/17_kids

---

Have these people heard of OVERPOPULATION? And they're planning to have more?

[Demeter]

1. I Feel For the Children

Being raised by such stupid parents....

[barb162]

56. Yeah, each kid gets about 3 minutes of quality time a day.

[Raejeanowl]

61. Are You Sure About That?

Or is that only when the parents aren't gettin' busy working on their next sibling?

Seriously, do you get the feeling this has slipped into the realm of COLLECTING children the way some people do about pets?

[Lorien]

67. I had a co-worker who came from a family like that

14 kids. The mother would lose interest in the youngest child once it learned to walk and would foist it upon the other children, who were learning parenting skills far too early. The mother would then be planning for the NEXT "cute little bundle of joy". She did indeed seem like one of those cat ladies who just can't collect enough of them. My coworker was a freeper, and had serious problems interacting with others because of the neglect she suffered early in life. Among her many quirks; diving into a bread basket during lunch meetings and grabbing as much as she could as quickly as she could. Apparently she and her siblings had to behave like wolves at the dinner table or they would go hungry. She never overcame that sense of desperation.

[CountAllVotes]

78. the most I know of is 19

I know a guy that has 18 brothers & sisters. He doesn't talk about it. I don't think I would either!!! He himself has 2 daughters period.

:kick:

[barb162]

93. This family of eight I know... they do the same thing.

The table manners really suck. About half of them just tend to grab as much as they can, they eat as fast as they can, tend not to talk during meals because they gotta shove that food down their gizzards really fast so they can grab some more before the others do. I guess the parents never made enough for meals for the kids and those habits stuck with them. They all talk about the mother as if she were great and frugal and all that crap. I thought she was frivilous for having all those kids she couldn't quite keep fed to the point they weren't hungry.

[barb162]

70. They're probably working on another one next week

Really, I don't understand this kind of behavior, especially if they have no live-in help. Between the huge size of the house, the number of kids, the home-schooling, when do they spend "regular" time with the kids or when do they have time for anything? Maybe they sleep one hour a night? Do they take three vehicles to go on vacation or can they go on vacation? If they go on vacation, do they ask for 5 hotel rooms? DO they ever watch the news? I can't really deal with the numbers and how they move around. "Oh honey, can you pick up six gallons of milk on your way home and five pounds of vegetables for dinner tonight?

It could very well be like the "collecting" sickness, except worse because the collectors usually say they wanted to rescue the animals and their intentions were good,but the numbers got out of control.

[roseBudd]

88. They did a reality show, about Duggars, they got a mobile home & loaded it

so they could go on their first vacation but it was so heavy they couldn't get above 20 MPH & they had to stop and split the family in two after borrowing their inlaws vehicle

All the kids wear just 1 color shirt, red for boys and blue for girls or vice versa, I don't remember. Laundry never leaves the laundry room as there is no point in putting it away.

Kids said their favorite foods were things like pickles so I don't guess they got many snacks.

[barb162]

92. That's a laugh

They'd probably need a mobile home about 90 feet long. They should just rent an Amtrak train for their vacations.

[Zywiec]

2. How many kids should each couple have? n/t

[liberal N proud]

13. 0 environmental impact is 2

One couple + 2 kids = 0 impact to the environment.

[KillCapitalism]

86. Agreed.

For the Earth's sake, I hope she hits menopause soon.

[Scairp]

91. I thought the same thing

Women who are pregnant that much in their fertile years often go into early menopause. Hopefully it will be soon. I do not admire these people; they scare me, and the worst part is that the White Supremacy groups claim them and other Caucasian couples having loads of children. They feel they are beating back the "hoard" of non-whites "overbreeding" and taking the majority in this country.

[Tesha]

24. Slightly less than the "replacement rate".

The "replacement rate" is about 2.18 (IIRC), so to put
more meat onLiberal n Proud's point, 2.0 would be slightly
less than the replacement rate, leading to a slow long-term
drop in population. One child would be even better.

Tesha

[CGrantt57]

3. Somebody should tell her...

it's a vagina...it's not a clown car.

[feminazi]

20. OMG!!! That's funny.

:rofl:

[axollot]

51. OMG I haven't laughed so hard here in YEARS! n/t

[barb162]

53. (You bad)

but funny as hell. I'm laughing my tush off.
BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

[katamaran]

77. This pic was taken with 13 kids in it...

[SocratesInSpirit]

80. aww crap

I posted before I realized you beat me to it! :)

[TheFarseer]

98. He looks like a Republican Congressman

you know, one of the ones that you pull the string in their back and they say something about lower taxes. Actually, now that I read the article, he was a state rep. I'm guessing the Republican one that took any possible opportunity to say "It's a child, not a choice."

I hate slamming people for doing something perfectly legal and that isn't hurting me in any way, but this is just unnatural to want this many kids. A couple in my home town has 15 (3 adopted) and they're religious freaks, surprise surprise.

[SocratesInSpirit]

79. Here's the graphic for that

:rofl: :rofl:

[dkofos]

4. They do know what causes that don't they??

[catgirl]

5. Bob Duggar: former state rep

They are conservative fundamentalist Christians. Need I say more?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bob_Duggar

The children are home schooled. Yikes.

[LibDemAlways]

28. "The children are home schooled." Seems to me

that home-schooling works best when a parent has the time and energy to commit to it. No one with several children who aren't yet school age and a bunch of kids at different grade levels is going to be very effective.

I truly feel sorry for the kids. It isn't their fault they were born into this freak show.

[Ilsa]

31. "Home-schooled"? More like teaching themselves after a certain

point, I bet. I don't think there is enough time in a day to teach each child at their individual level. Some self-teaching is good, too, though.

Does any one of these kids have more than a minute to a parent each day? Or are the parents just lying around trying to breed some more?

I wonder when her uterus is going to fall out.

[barb162]

55. I wonder if she has live-in help or something.

I know a woman who had 8 kids and they all went to regular school. I thought that many kids was way over the top. Does she do about 40 loads of laundry a week? What's it like going to the grocery? Six shopping carts? I can't imagine this lifestyle.

[roseBudd]

89. Nope the kids all have lots of chores & everyone wear's just 1 of 2 colors for a shirt

and everyone wears khaki pants

[Occulus]

101. This is how the crazy christians get around the schooling laws

ALL these kids learn is the Bible. I'll bet my next 50 paychecks on that.

That's how they have time for the family. Everything they need to know about the world and about life is in the Bible.

Didn't you know that?

[David__77]

6. Wow.

I don't care about the "overpopulation" angle, but I think it's a far from ideal situation, that's for sure. How can two parents care for so many children?

[LeFleur1]

12. Can't

Of course they can't care for so many children. They most likely pawn them off on neighbors, fellow church members, or older children who get stuck raising their siblings instead of living their lives.
Selfish, selfish people.

[4_TN_TITANS]

41. Not to mention remember names...

Bottom line is that they could provide the basics for them but real 'care'?

on edit:
I'm sitting next to a pregnant coworker, who could imagine 17 years of pregnancy/recovery??? These people would make rabbits say 'what tha hell?'

[debbierlus]

7. Publicly enoucarge irresponsible reproduction

This has become a gig for them.

17 children.

[raccoon]

8. That can't be good for the woman's health. nt

[BuddhaGirl]

9. from the link:

"Among the "fun facts" listed on Discovery Health's Web page devoted to the Duggars: A baby has been born in every month except June; the Duggars have gone through an estimated 90,000 diapers, and Michelle, 40, has been pregnant for 126 months — or 10.5 years — of her life."

She's been pregnant for 126 months???????? OMG!!!

I guess they don't give a shit about overpopulation and using far more of their share of the earth's resources 'cause it's "God's Will" after all! :puke: :puke:

[Zywiec]

14. How many is too many for each couple?

Do you want to restrict it somehow?

[Zomby Woof]

96. Sterilize her

Now.

It's beyond irresponsible or healthy in any way, shape, or form for a human to breed like a jackrabbit on speed.

I say it's time to end the taboo on forced sterilization. Tie her tubes NOW.

[mikelgb]

17. pregnant a 4th of her life

amazing

[Zywiec]

22. Live and let live... n/t

[mikelgb]

52. yep

[Occulus]

102. I doubt they believe in that

They're christish.

[no_hypocrisy]

10. That's a litter, not a family.

[neuvocat]

11. Its all a miracle until they ask for public assistance.

Then they're no longer "blessed with a large family" but rather a couple of people who "breed like rabbits".

[CottonBear]

35. Amazingly, they are debt free. That's how they can afford the kids.

They started in the real estate investment field and somehow manged to pay as they went witout accruing debt. That, to me, is more amazing than having 17 kids.

I would dearly love to have a child but if I can that will be all I can afford as a single parent.

[cullen2382]

15. OMG!

I have two and they drive me crazy. How can you watch all those children? How do you discipline all those children? How do you not lose your mind?

[wizstars]

16. These people are nucking futs....

What's wrong with a woman who just wants to be a baby machine??? What's wrong with her husband that he's making her into one???

just my two cents..............

[OhioChick]

18. My Question is..

How can they afford 17 kids?

[CottonBear]

36. They are debt free. n/t

[eggplant]

19. Who cares?

It sounds like the family is doing fine. Who are you to tell them how many kids they should have? Where was there a hint that they would need financial assistance? How does one family in Arkansas affect global overpopulation? Are they running out of space in Arkansas? Or is it their religion that has you in such a tizzy?

Honestly -- such knee-jerk reactions to a benign story is really sad. It makes us look as bad as the freepers.

Wish them well, and move on. We have real problems to deal with.

[Zywiec]

21. I'm with you. Who cares?

Unless of course people want to start restricting the number of children each couple can have. I bet no one advocates that.

[VaYallaDawg]

26. Me too.

Personally, I wouldn't want to be responsible for all those kids, but that's my own opinion. What makes this country great is that each of us has personal freedoms - including the freedom to be (what I would consider) irresponsible if we want to.

[depakid]

82. You may be betting wrong

I can foresee a situation where that would be the rational thing to do- and people like the Duggers are poster children for policies like that'

[Book Lover]

103. Just let this thread go on for a little longer

You'll see some of that, too. Personally, I think that if this is working for them, good for them and who cares? My mother's best friend had 18 kids, and none of them ever had to rush through a meal, or felt like sibling care was foisted upon them unduly. Then again, being judgmental feels so good, lots of people on this thread, I guess, just can't resist...

[catgirl]

27. It's not about the space. It's about the waste.

90,000 diapers. And there are so many parentless children in the world....

[AngryAmish]

37. No, it is all about crushing a woman's right to choose.

[catgirl]

68. Where did that come from?

Let's not throw flames here. Talking about overpopulation and resources
does not equal a "pro-life" stance. The other topic is about the attention
each child gets. My parents had 5 children, and I can assure you there was
far less attention and affection than most children get. My parents were stressed
out and easily aggravated.

[Zhade]

72. When USAmericans use five times the resources people in other countries use?

You better believe it's concerning. This is selfish behavior.

[xxqqqzme]

99. saw a blip on them the other night

talk about using resources - they have EIGHT washing machines, all going practically non-stop; all the boys live in one dorm room; all the girls in another. The parents drop in for a visit each night, then trot off to make more babies.

[arewenotdemo]

84. Overpopulation isn't a real problem???

[laureloak]

23. How selfish.

I read that if all couples limited themselves to 1 child the planet would return to the population level of 1900.

[zehnkatzen]

25. Well, there's one Arkansas stereotype reinforced...

...fundy Xtian homeschoolers having too damn many kids.

Now, mind, I don't think it should be necessary to place a limit on how many kids a couple should have. That's because here, in the Sane World, having 17 kids and thinking about number 18 is seen as a bit over the top; most people know this violates common sense.

Maybe they heard that it takes a village to raise a child, and figured they could supply their own village. They'd better have stout friends and neighbors, at least; it'll take a city to raise that group.

[liberal N proud]

29. All the children — whose names start with the letter J — are home-schooled

Read that line again.
If you read it the way I did the first time, what about the kids whose names don't start with the letter J


Fortunately the all start with J so they all live in their own little Duggar world.

[Posteritatis]

62. I don't get the naming thing

Every time I see a news story about parents who have 3.2x10¹⁶ children or whatever, their names always start with the same letter. What the hell is it with that?

[liberal N proud]

74. Probably some family tradition started 2000 years ago

[King Coal]

30. God Bless them and Tiny Tim.

[Itchinjim]

32. I grew up a few doors down from a family of twenty children.

The father was a lawyer and the mother was housewife. All twenty children went to collage and are very successful and well adjusted adults. Both parents were active in local Democratic politics and last I heard all the kids were staunch Dems. So there are some benefits to society from large families.

(grammer edit)

[Ellen Forradalom]

39. Thank you for a reality check.

Bobby Kennedy sired 11 kids but do we complain about that?

Families this size are statistical outliers. Not everybody is doing this, so they alone are not overpopulating the earth.

Chances are the kids will grow up conservative and Republican, a thought which inspires dread around here, but do we know that will happen? There's a good statistical chance at least one will be gay; some may rebel against their background and cross the aisle politically. The family is basically loving, so chances are too that they'll grow up tightknit, decent and productive.

[barb162]

57. I know a family of 8 that were brought up Republican and about

half became Democrats.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

47. Biggest benefit = tax breaks

Hell, the IRS probably owes THEM thousands of dollars a year after all those deductions!

[raebrek]

66. Tax Breaks only go so far.

They can't give you back more then you pay in.

Raebrek

[mancandy]

33. But me and my partner are not.....

suitable to be parents. :sarcasm: :mad:

[bamacrat]

34. This has got to be some sort of sickness. n/t

[4_TN_TITANS]

44. Man with a pregnancy fetish maybe??? n/t

[bamacrat]

48. Ha ha ha ah....could be.

Rather expensive and long lasting fetish Id say.

[MisterP]

38. oh, Christ on a trailer hitch, not the Duggars!

remember how Michelle started forgetting the kids' names? And of course the large property is so the kids can build their own houses and families a few yards from their parents--a whole compound! It's like watching one of the Children of the Corn grow up: will they shoot Michelle when she hits menopause? No oocytes, no value.

[tblue37]

94. Like in HBO's "Big Love" series--

a compound like Juniper Creek?

[0007]

40. No way in hell can I wrap my mind around a woman having

seventeen children. Some of the children look the same age. The parents have gone through an estimated 90,000 diapers.

?x=380&y=258&sig=8.YQXdsdT9HJrPmCFh58aQ--

[RebelOne]

42. That's their business if they want to have oodles of children.

But all I can say is that they are gluttons for punishment.

[WarhammerTwo]

43. From what I understand...

...the older kids are old enough to act as caregivers to the younger kids. That's how the mom keeps up after them all. She has the older kids act as nannies.

I also saw on a Discovery channel show (quite some time ago...when there were only 13 kids, I think) that they make all their own clothes. She buys huge rolls of fabric in bulk then makes dresses for the girls and dress shirts and slacks for the boys. Then the outfits get handed down. When an outfit gets worn out, they make a new one. And the kids are taught to make the clothes as well. So think of that. 17 kids all wearing the exact same outfit, day in and day out. Is it any wonder they're home schooled. Do you realize how badly they'd get mocked for wearing identical threads? Hell, I remember when I showed up for school one day in seventh grade wearing a hand-me-down jean jacket that wasn't a "brand" name. I never wore that to school again. Then there's the whole "J" name thing.

For food, they buy in bulk at a warehouse store. They built their own house and the older boys, along with dad did all the labor. I think they got their neighbors to help out who (if I recall correctly) have 11 or 12 kids as well. So that's how they save money. By making everything themselves and using the kids as the workforce.

Despite all that, I don't know what kind of health insurance they have but it's gotta be pretty good to cover all the medical care that the kids need, plus all the pre- and post-natal care mom needs. That's what I want to know. How do they pay for their medical expenses.

[Retrograde]

73. All very common practices

a few generations ago, back before that marvelous 20th century innovation, reliable birth control. My mother came from a largish family - 7 children - and she talks about caring for my youngest aunt when my grandparents were both at work, and clothes and toys all got handed down - my first bicycle was originally my mother's, then her sisters', then mine, then my sisters'- and one of them still has it.

17's a bit much. When you can't remember the kids' names, maybe it's time to stop. And if the mother is only about 40 now, when did she start?

[kenfrequed]

45. If you want to know

I believe this is what is really going on in this situation.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiverfull

[eppur_se_muova]

49. Oh, that reads like bad news. nt

[Posteritatis]

63. I love the implication that their children are ammunition. (nt)

[TexasBushwhacker]

76. I think you're right

It ties in to this kind of thinking:

http://www.alternet.org/story/57001

"Do you have a child back in England?" she asks. No, I say. Her face darkens. "You'd better start," she says. "The Muslims are breeding. Soon, they'll have the whole of Europe."

[onehandle]

46. Camo the kids up and send them to Iraq. nt

[TexasBushwhacker]

50. I can understand wanting to have a big family ....

It's not for me, but I can understand that some couples like the hustle and bustle of lots of kids. What I don't understand is feeling that they personally have to create all of them. There are so many children who need good homes - over 100,000 in the US alone. That's not counting children who need good foster care. Say what you will about Brangelina and their international family, adoption makes more sense to me if you want to raise many children.

[barb162]

58. Really good points you have there.

I agree.

[barb162]

54. I wonder how many more she'll grunt out.

Overpopulation? Michelle Duggar: Who me? Huh? What?

[superconnected]

59. My first boyfriend came from a family of 10 kids

and he was always embarassed to say so. The parents were both teachers but they were literally dirt poor. Holes in the walls and floor in their home, etc. I only saw his house once because he was too embarassed to bring me there and I showed up unexpected. He couldn't usher me out fast enough.

[joe1991]

60. This family does sound a bit wacky, BUT

I don't know about you, but the thing that bothers me most is very few of us could afford to have a large family nowadays.

My 96 yr old Grandma had NINE children. My Grandpa had a very average pay job at a refinery here in TX, and they got along fine.

They had an average size house on several acres. Each weekend my Grandpa would take one kid and spend the day shopping, buying the child clothes or shoes, maybe a haircut, whatever they needed, then a treat, burger or ice cream before returning home.

How many of us have zero, one or two children and struggle to get through the month?
And how many average couples could afford to live on a single income? ...Let alone have a housefull of kids??

I think that is why so many people on both sides of the aile feel like they're being "screwed", whatever the causes. Most of us are busting our butts and feel like we're just treading water.

[superconnected]

65. 30 years ago 1 person could support the whole family.

today 2 can barely do it. I mean a family of 4.

A person who makes minimum wage cannot afford to rent an apartment in any city in the united states right now. That's is an example of how things have changed. Rent is becoming unaffordable for one income that makes double minimum wage.

[Drunken Irishman]

64. My great grandparents had something like 12 children.

Some died though on the way over from Ireland.

[bjb]

69. zpg

My sister and her husband never did have children because they believed in zpg. The joke has been on them. We bring in immigrants(legally) by the thousands year after year and they don't seem to think twice about having a large family. They don't seem to worry about how they can afford to raise them like we do.

[Zhade]

71. Selfish resource-hogging assholes.

NT!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

75. This makes me think of the little baby who died a few years ago...

when she was left inside a hot car after she was forgotten by the family. I can't remember how many kids there were in the family...at least 10. The father did some jail time as I recall.

Sad. :(

[THUNDER HANDS]

81. two more and they get that free toaster

[Scatterheart]

83. Oh goodness.

I made a frantic escape from Arkansas in late May, the day after I graduated high school. Take it from someone who lived there: the last thing the world needs is more Arkansans. :P

[Wcross]

85. That seems a bit selfish.

Come on now, how many people can our world support? These people must think very highly of themselves to reproduce 17 times and want more.

[Endangered Specie]

87. Damn, has this woman had a period in the last 10 years?

[SunDrop23]

90. Jim Bob and Michelle = attention whores

[Sin]

95. Every one now....

Every Sperm is Sacred.... http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/265798

Don't watch that at work now :)

[barb162]

97. "Less than 30 minutes after giving birth, the Duggars already were talking of having more"

Speechless.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

100. Come on Michelle!! We know you can do it

Go for "18" then "19" then "20"...
The more you have, the more morans there will be supporting repukes
:sarcasm: goes somewhere.